The sun is still high, but it won’t be long now before days grow short and the weather gets chilly. Golfers looking to squeeze in a few more greens can look here for inspiration.
Hyatt presents a number of Instagram-worthy golf courses across the U.S. and beyond with dream courses you can check off of your bucket list via a variety of golf travel destinations. Here you can find world-class courses inspired by the pros tucked under desert mountain ranges, sitting atop volcanic ocean cliffs, and existing alongside local wildlife.
The Lodge at Spruce Peak — Stowe, Vermont
Rated the number one course in Vermont by Golf Advisor in 2020, the rugged design of The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak (formerly Stowe Mountain) reaches an elevation of more than 1,800 feet and features rock outcroppings, wildlife at every glance, and sweeping views of both Spruce Peak and Mt. Mansfield.
Fall in the city of Stowe means a stunning expanse of leaves changing, an arboreal sea waving to golfers below. The fairways can be technical and wide open and the greens tend to be tough, which makes the course accessible to pros and amateurs alike.
Wild Dunes Resort — Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Moving down the Atlantic coast, golf lovers can check in at the untamed Wild Dunes Resort. Mingle with over 36 holes at Wild Dunes Resort’s signature golf courses, and, afterward, head on over to incredible dining and recreation activities.
Designed by famed golf course architect, Tom Fazio, The Links Course and Harbor Course are two of South Carolina’s top golf courses, demanding the best from players at every skill level. Looking out over breakers and wild sea grass, it’s hard to get mad when you end up in the rough or the soft sand. Travelers can take advantage of offers including a Fazio golf Package, a “Stay More & Play More” package, as well as custom-built Golf Trips.
Grand Hyatt Baha Mar — Nassau, The Bahamas
If it’s a Caribbean flavor your clubs are itching for, the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar sits next to the renowned Royal Blue Golf Course — an 18-hole, par-72, Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course.
The links unfold over dramatic vistas of the turquoise sea on the front nine and forested panoramas and sandy moonscapes on the back. The best part? Any time of year is a good time of year to get down to Nassau. Hyatt offers a one- or two-person golf package for guests, which includes unlimited golf and cart access, one guaranteed tee time per day, and round-trip transportation to the golf course.
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa — Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
East and north of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and due south of the southern terminus of the Rocky Mountains lie the Sandia Mountains. So-named because of their pink hue, ‘sandia’ translates to watermelon in Spanish.
Nestled into the range’s northwestern foot, and tucked between the Rio Grande to the west, is Hyatt’s Tamaya Resort and Spa. Adjacent is the course, Twin Warriors Golf Club. The club offers championship golfers and resort-style players alike a unique high-desert golfing experience.
Designed and developed by Gary Panks with meticulous care and cultural sensitivity, the course features glowing grassy knolls and ridges dotted with juniper and piñon pine. The sandy rough is a typical aspect of the landscape — dry washes known as arroyos and eroded land features.
Steeped in over one thousand years of rich history and culture, the course sits astride the tiny Native American town of Santa Ana Pueblo. The sacred butte known as Tuyuna or “Snakehead” towers above a vast desert panorama framed by spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains.
Suncadia Resort — Cle Elum, Washington
Moving from the South- to the Northwest, Hyatt’s Suncadia Resort offers 36 holes rolling over its two courses, tucked into an isolated stretch of dense pine forest. The scenic championship links are on a 6,400-acre Washington property below towering granite peaks of the sunny, eastern slopes of the Cascades.
The Arnold Palmer-designed course utilizes the surrounding trees to frame holes below cliffs. There are several bunkers throughout, with a few water hazards tossed in for good measure. Rolling hills are everywhere, and the course is dotted with dozens of foot drops and rises.
From beginner to advanced levels and for day outings and extended vacations, the resort offers a mountain golf experience on two award-winning courses. Suncadia’s team of PGA golf professionals are also available for private instruction seven days a week during golf season.
Resort at Squaw Creek — Lake Tahoe, California
Surrounded by six majestic Sierra peaks, the Links at Squaw Creek is a championship Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course in Lake Tahoe that rests serenely at the base of Palisades Tahoe.
This magnificent course is the culmination of ten years of extensive planning and careful handling of the environment. Renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Links at Squaw Creek to preserve the unique beauty, natural wetlands, and wildlife habitat of Olympic Valley. The spectacular result is a natural Lake Tahoe golf course that blends in with its beautiful mountain surroundings.
With four sets of tees, plus family tees placed just 150 yards from the green — the Links at Squaw Creek presents an excellent golf experience for players of all abilities.
Carmel Valley Ranch — Carmel, California
Moving just down the coast, we find Carmel Valley Ranch, the only Pete Dye-designed, bentgrass golf course in Northern California. Ranked among the top resort courses in the country by Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” readers survey, the par-70 spread offers something for all players — tactical shots, dramatic elevation changes, and incredible scenery.
Challenging yet friendly, the distinct northern California flora is there to enjoy for those times you find yourself off the fairway. For believers in the importance of the 19th hole, Carmel Valley Ranch’s refreshed clubhouse has an expansive bar, and a patio with fire pits with sweeping views of the Pacific coastline.
Part of the Hyatt’s Unbound Collection, the property is close to Pebble Beach and some of the golf world’s most sought-after courses.
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa — Carlsbad, California
If you need to stay on the mainland, but are looking out West, Park Hyatt’s Aviara Resort offers an option right on the Pacific.
Named by Conde Nast Traveler as a top Southern Californian course and by Golf Digest as one of the best resort golf courses in America, the Aviara Golf Club is set on 200 acres in the sleepy surf town of Carlsbad, north of San Diego. Overlooking the Batiquitos Lagoon, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa has been a perennial favorite of well-heeled travelers, golf nuts, and San Diegans heading up the coast for a staycation.
The only coastal California course designed by Arnold Palmer, Aviara Golf Club offers more than 18 holes that spread over 7,000 sculpted yards of rolling hillsides and native wildflowers that lead to bunker and water challenges.
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa — Koloa, Hawaii
If the desert isn’t your thing, maybe beach sand and crashing waves are more your style. Iconic and isolated Koloa sits at the southern tip of Hawaii’s greenest isle, Kauai.
Sprawled between lush volcanic mountains and rugged ocean cliffs, the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa boasts Po’ipu Bay Golf Course. 18 visually stunning and ever-challenging championship holes lead up to seashore paspalum greens. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Poipu Bay is one of the most acclaimed Pacific resort courses. From 1994 to 2006, the course hosted the annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf, one of the world’s most prestigious tournaments.
Whether it be Hawaii or your local course, make sure that you get out there and hit a few balls before the weather turns. Golf can be fleeting, and you don’t want to be left wanting come December…
